Chapter 987
Security
“Who knows!” Another little demon curled his lip and lowered his voice, saying, “The kings are just too cautious. They insist that we patrol here, saying it’s to strengthen the defenses and prevent Tang Sanzang and his disciples from sneaking away from here. But I think that no matter how powerful Tang Sanzang and his disciples are, they wouldn’t dare to sneak away from here. This place is so remote and so gloomy, they definitely wouldn’t dare to come here.”
“Yeah, I think so too. They definitely wouldn’t dare come here!” The first little demon nodded, lowered his voice, and said, “Let’s slack off a little longer. Anyway, no one has noticed. When it’s time to patrol, we’ll go back and say that we have patrolled carefully and found nothing unusual. That way, we can avoid getting scolded.”
“Okay, let’s do it this way!” Another little demon nodded and said in a low voice, “Let’s quickly slack off for a while, otherwise, when it’s time for patrol, we won’t have a chance to slack off anymore.”
As they spoke, the two little demons leaned against the bushes again, closed their eyes, and yawned, looking drowsy, completely unaware that danger was lurking nearby.
Sun Wukong, hiding behind a rock, kept his eyes fixed on the two patrolling demons. He lowered his voice and said to Chu Yang, "Brother Chu Yang, these two demons are very lazy. Let's take this opportunity to quietly bypass them, avoid their sight, and continue forward. Be careful not to make a sound and let them find us."
“Okay, Brother Monkey, I understand!” Chu Yang nodded, lowered his voice and said, “I’ll go out first to check the situation and make sure they haven’t noticed us. Then you can come with me and sneak around.”
"Okay, be careful!" Sun Wukong nodded, lowered his voice, and reminded him, "If you find anything unusual, come back immediately. Don't be reckless."
"Don't worry, Brother Monkey!" Chu Yang nodded, slowly peeking out from behind the rock. He kept his eyes fixed on the two patrolling demons, and only after confirming that they hadn't noticed his presence did he slowly emerge from behind the rock. He moved lightly and cautiously, carefully circling around the two demons from behind.
He walked slowly and carefully, trying not to make a sound. His footsteps on the thick layer of fallen leaves made only a slight rustling sound, almost masked by the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves. As he walked, he vigilantly observed the two patrolling demons, stopping and hiding immediately if they made any movement.
Soon, Chu Yang successfully circled around to the back of the two little demons. He stopped and waved in the direction of Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang, indicating that the two little demons had not noticed his presence and could quietly come around.
Sun Wukong nodded upon seeing Chu Yang's gesture, then lowered his voice and said to Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie, "Master, Bajie, come with me. Let's sneak around quietly. Don't make a sound and don't let them find us."
As he spoke, he carefully emerged from behind the rock, helped Tang Sanzang, and slowly walked around behind the two little demons. Zhu Bajie, also carrying his luggage, carefully emerged from behind the rock and followed behind them, head down, not daring to make the slightest move, his steps very light, not daring to even breathe.
The group carefully circled around the two lesser demons from behind, coming within a few steps of them. They could clearly hear their breathing and smell the pungent, nauseating demonic aura emanating from them. But they dared not make a move, cautiously advancing, trying to avoid their gaze, quickening their pace to leave this place as soon as possible, and continuing along the path behind the mountain.
Soon, the group successfully bypassed the two patrolling demons and continued along the path behind the mountain. They stopped and hid behind a bush, breathed a sigh of relief, and cautiously scanned their surroundings. Only after confirming that there were no other demons did they slowly relax.
"That was close! We almost got discovered by those little demons!" Pigsy said in a low voice, patting his chest, his face full of lingering fear and tension.
"Fool, what's the panic!" Sun Wukong glared at Zhu Bajie, lowered his voice, and sternly scolded, "You're scared like this over such a small matter. How are you going to follow us on our journey westward to slay demons and monsters? Quickly suppress your aura, don't make a sound, and keep moving forward with us. If you dare to make a fuss again and get discovered by the little demons, I, Old Sun, will definitely not forgive you!"
"Yes, yes, yes! I, Old Pig, understand! I, Old Pig, will definitely control my aura, not make a sound, and stop making a fuss!" Pigsy nodded hurriedly, lowered his voice, and dared not speak again. His face showed a nervous expression once more.
Tang Sanzang clasped his hands together and said softly, "Amitabha, Wukong, don't blame Bajie. He was scared, which is understandable. Let's hurry and keep going. We must be careful and cautious, and not be careless. We must not be discovered by the monsters. We must pass through Lion Camel Ridge safely."
"Master, don't worry!" Sun Wukong nodded, lowered his voice, and said, "We will be careful and avoid the eyes and ears of the lesser demons to pass through Lion Camel Ridge smoothly. Brother Chu Yang, let's continue on our way!"
“Alright, Brother Monkey!” Chu Yang nodded, lowered his voice and said, “Let’s keep going forward. The path ahead will become more and more remote, and there will be fewer and fewer patrolling demons. As long as we keep going forward, we will soon be able to pass through Lion Camel Ridge and reach the other side of Lion Camel Ridge.”
As they spoke, the group once again concealed their presence and cautiously proceeded along the path behind the mountain. The sky grew darker, night gradually descended, and the entire Lion Camel Ridge was shrouded in darkness, eerie and terrifying. The demonic aura grew increasingly dense, and a gust of wind carried a biting chill, rustling the leaves like the howls of ghosts and wolves, sending shivers down their spines. The distant mountains, shrouded in darkness, were indistinct, exuding a mysterious and terrifying aura. The faint roars of lesser demons and the conversations of the three great demon kings could be heard from within the caves, sending shivers down their spines. Chu Yang walked at the forefront, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. Using the faint moonlight, he carefully examined the path and vigilantly observed the surrounding movements. If he spotted any patrolling lesser demons, he would immediately warn the others to stop and hide. Sun Wukong, following beside the White Dragon Horse, vigilantly scanned their surroundings. His golden eyes, though sharp and bright, allowed him to clearly see the path ahead even in the darkness, not missing a single abnormality. If he spotted any minor demons, he would immediately prepare for battle, while simultaneously protecting Tang Sanzang and the White Dragon Horse. Zhu Bajie, bringing up the rear, carried the luggage, constantly and cautiously observing his surroundings. His face was filled with tension and fear, frequently glancing ahead, afraid of encountering patrolling demons or being discovered by the three great demon kings. He kept muttering to himself, "Amitabha, Amitabha, I hope we don't encounter any monsters, I hope we can pass through Lion Camel Ridge safely, I hope we'll be safe and sound."
After walking for about an hour, the group continued cautiously along the path behind the mountain. The path grew narrower and more rugged, the weeds and bushes on either side becoming increasingly dense, almost completely obscuring the path. They could only carefully push aside the weeds and bushes, moving slowly and quietly, trying to make as little noise as possible, while vigilantly observing their surroundings, fearing they might encounter patrolling demons.
"Brother Monkey, look, the boundary of Lion Camel Ridge is just ahead!" At this moment, Chu Yang stopped and lowered his voice to Sun Wukong, excitedly saying that his eyes were fixed on a clearing not far ahead, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.
Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong immediately stopped and stared intently at a clearing not far ahead. With his Golden Eyes of Fiery Eyes, he carefully examined the area and indeed saw a clearing not far ahead. On the other side of the clearing was the boundary of Lion Camel Ridge. Beyond the boundary was a dense forest. The forest was free of any demonic energy and exuded a refreshing atmosphere, completely different from the gloomy atmosphere of Lion Camel Ridge.
"Great! We're finally about to leave Lion Camel Ridge!" Sun Wukong said excitedly in a low voice, a look of surprise on his face, though his tone also betrayed a hint of exhaustion.
Upon hearing Sun Wukong's voice, Pigsy's eyes lit up. He rushed up from behind, lowered his voice, and excitedly said, "Wh-what? We're almost out of Lion Camel Ridge? That's great! That's great! I, Pigsy, can finally get rid of those monsters! I won't have to stay in this gloomy and terrifying place anymore!"
"Idiot, keep your voice down!" Sun Wukong glared at Zhu Bajie, lowered his voice, and scolded him sharply, "We haven't left Lion Camel Ridge yet. There might be patrolling demons ahead. If they discover us, all our efforts will be in vain! Quickly suppress your aura, don't make a sound, follow us, and keep moving forward to get out of Lion Camel Ridge as soon as possible!"
"Yes, yes, yes! I, Old Pig, understand! I, Old Pig, will definitely keep my voice down and follow you, continuing forward to get out of Lion Camel Ridge as soon as possible!" Pigsy nodded hurriedly, lowering his voice and not daring to speak loudly anymore, his face full of excitement and nervousness.
Tang Sanzang opened his eyes and saw the open space not far ahead. A look of relief appeared on his face. He put his hands together and said softly, "Amitabha, that's great. We're finally about to leave Lion Camel Ridge. Thank you, Wukong. Thank you, Chu Yang. You've worked hard. We must be careful and leave Lion Camel Ridge as soon as possible, so that we are not discovered by the monsters."
"Master, don't worry!" Chu Yang said softly, "There shouldn't be any more patrolling demons ahead. Let's hurry and keep going forward, get out of Lion Camel Ridge as soon as possible, and reach the other side of Lion Camel Ridge. Once we're on the other side, we can completely get rid of those demons and continue our journey westward."
Tang Sanzang nodded slightly, clasped his hands together and silently chanted "Amitabha," patted the white dragon horse's neck, and said gently, "Thank you for your hard work, Wukong and Chu Yang. This journey has not been easy. Let's put in more effort and not let our efforts be in vain." The white dragon horse seemed to understand his meaning, let out a soft neigh, and moved even lighter, its four hooves treading on the thick layer of fallen leaves, making only a soft "rustling" sound, which was almost indistinguishable in the mountain breeze.
Pigsy, carrying a heavy load of luggage that almost bent his back, was beaming with excitement. He lowered his voice but couldn't hide his joy: "Great! Great! We're finally leaving this awful place! I, Old Pig, never want to smell this demonic stench again. If I stay any longer, my nose will go numb!"
"Fool, how dare you talk back!" Sun Wukong glared at him, his golden eyes scanning the open space ahead. His tone was grave. "We haven't really left Lion Camel Ridge yet. Stop making a scene. If we alert the patrolling demons, all our previous efforts will be wasted! Quickly conceal your presence and follow us!"
Pigsy quickly covered his mouth, nodded repeatedly, and lightened his pace, but his small eyes kept glancing anxiously at the woods on the other side of the clearing. Chu Yang walked in front, his movements as light as a cat. With each step, he carefully looked around to make sure there was nothing amiss before turning back to give the others a reassuring gesture.
Night had completely fallen over the back of Lion Camel Ridge. A crescent moon hid behind thick, dark clouds, only occasionally letting out a faint sliver of light to barely illuminate the narrow path beneath their feet. A chilling wind howled through the dense forest, causing the branches to tremble and groan, sounding like the wails of countless wronged souls, sending shivers down one's spine. Fallen leaves tumbled about in the wind, and occasionally, a few rotting animal bones could be seen, emitting a faint stench of decay mixed with a thick, nauseating demonic aura.
"Brother Monkey, look! Beyond this clearing lies the boundary of Lion Camel Ridge!" Chu Yang stopped, hiding behind a thick, ancient tree, and peered into the distance, speaking to Sun Wukong in a low voice. His eyes were filled with joy as he pointed to a faintly visible mountain stream in the distance. "That stream is the boundary between Lion Camel Ridge and the outside world. Beyond that stream, there won't be such a strong demonic aura anymore."
Sun Wukong leaped and landed silently beside Chu Yang. Following the direction Chu Yang pointed, his golden eyes pierced the darkness, clearly seeing the mountain stream. The stream was narrow, the water rushing swiftly, making a "whoosh" sound. The forest on the opposite side of the stream was lush and green, the demonic aura dissipated, exuding a fresh scent of grass and trees.
"Alright!" Sun Wukong lowered his voice, a hint of relief in his tone. "Brother Chu Yang, you go ahead and scout ahead. Once you've confirmed there's nothing amiss on the other side of the ravine, we'll take Master and Pigsy there and leave this hellish place for good!" (End of Chapter)